


The Mourning Tree

by leDespicable



Category: Captain Harlock
Genre: Alternate Universe, Developing Relationship, Dreams and Nightmares, Eventual Smut, Fluff, I hope they aren't out of character, I'm Bad At Summaries, M/M, Otherwise I will curl up in a corner and cry, Rated Explicit for later chapters, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-01-06 09:17:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18385490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leDespicable/pseuds/leDespicable
Summary: The Arcadia's crew has been hiding from the Sanction since their escape from earth. As their supplies are running low they decide to stop by a colony. There,  they receive information that has them going on a mission which seems to affect Yama in a strange way. Being the Arcadia's new Captain is exhausting when dealing with dreams of a mysterious tree. Also  having to deal with his feelings for a certain dark-haired pirate further complicates things.  Especially when the man he loves doesn't quite know how to work things out himself.





	1. Nightly Walks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here it is. Chapter 1 of the story that has been on my mind for more than a week now. Getting it down isn't hard (at least partially)...but translating it into English is.  
> This takes place a few weeks after the end of the film. Slight Alternate Universe (some details changed; it will be important later on)  
> Also: Rated explicit for a reason. Prepare for future smut ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> I'm no native speaker, so feel free to tell me should there be any major mistakes.  
> (especially tenses and punctuation ^^;)
> 
> Other than that, I hope you enjoy and stick around for the next chapter ^^

A warm and gentle breeze ruffled Yama's hair, carrying the soft scent of blooming flowers. He stood on a hill surrounded by extensive grasslands stretching into the distance which were dotted with thousands of white flowers. The calming, rhythmic sound of crickets filled the air. Turning his head to the left, the brown-haired man noticed a beach running along the shoreline in slight curves with its white sand glowing in the sun. He could hear the ocean's surf. Looking into the distance, he could also see a small and cosy-looking town, maybe a kilometre away, nestled in a bay with blue water glittering in the sunlight. Small clouds were floating across the sky casting their shadows on the sea's deep blue water. It seemed to be early in the afternoon.

Yama closed his eyes...just enjoying the atmosphere. From time to time he could hear the caws of seagulls. Distant laughter could be heard coming from the town accompanied by the soothing sound of music.  
What a beautiful place. A place where you could just lie down in the tall grass and let your mind wander. A place where you could forget everything around you and nobody would disturb you. A place that feels like home.  
Yama's eyes snapped open. Home...this wasn't home...but why did it feel like it?

His gaze settled on an old weeping willow. It somehow stood out from the rest of his environment. Growing on a hill in the grasslands about half-way between him and the town, the willow's spreading branches almost seemed to be gesturing towards him, welcoming him. Yama blinked. That tree had a mysterious aura. Now curious, he began to slowly walk towards it. The further he made his way towards the hill, the more Yama's fascination grew.  
What was it that intrigued him about this tree? The tall grass tickled his legs as he continued to cross the grasslands. He could hear the buzzing of bees and other insects. As he reached a small creek Yama could see small fishes in the burbling, crystal-clear water. He couldn't help but smile. This truly was a beautiful place...buzzing with life unlike most of mankind's colonies.

Was this a colony? He looked around, trying to spot anything that could give away where he was when, all of a sudden, the sun darkened and a deep and dangerously-sounding rumble filled the air. Yama tilted his head up to look at the sky. What he saw made him gasp in shock. The dark and ominous silhouette of an enormous spaceship had appeared above the ocean, hovering there like a predator watching its prey. Everything had gone silent. No bees...no birds...no laughter...even the wind had dropped. He just stood there in shock staring at the ship above him. Something about this ship seemed familiar. Awfully familiar...then it struck him. Was that really...? Could it really be that-

His thoughts were interrupted by the bone-chilling howling of a siren which cut through the silence like a knife. Before the green-eyed man could react a blinding flash of light had him covering his eyes and turning away. He could feel the heat on his skin as he crouched to take cover in the tall grass. When the light finally began to fade he opened his eyes, slowly blinking trying to regain his vision. He turned his head trying to see where the flash had come from.  
He froze. The ship had begun to fire an enormous energy beam at the planet, its light making everything glow red.  
What in earth's name was happening here?

The sound of people screaming in the distance made his hair stand on end. He turned to look at the small town. It was quite a bit closer now...maybe 600 metres away. The sound of the siren mixing with the panicked screams of the residents made his blood run cold...it sounded familiar...so awfully familiar. It struck something deep inside him that made his stomach twist and made it almost impossible to breathe. He covered his ears trying to drain out the awful noise.  
But there was something else...a deep and thunderous roaring coming from the ocean. Yama didn't have time to look where it was coming from. The next thing he knew he was on the ground. The earth violently began to shake as the roaring grew louder and louder. He coughed trying to get the dirt out of his mouth. He was thrown around violently, the ground almost seeming to play with him like a toy ball.

His eye began to tear up from all the dust in the air which made it almost impossible to see anything. The desperate screams, the ominous rumbling, the bone-chilling sound of breaking glass and the crumbling sound of collapsing buildings all blended into one horrible sound slowly making the brown-haired man lose his sanity. He wanted it to stop. He couldn't take it. This was horrible. He curled up and covered his ears while screaming at the top of his lungs so he wouldn't have to hear this horrible noise. He didn't know how long he remained like this...but at some point, the earthquake began to gradually fade away. He opened his eye and tried to get up, his knees wobbly and his throat sore from the screaming. When he finally managed to get to his feet all he could do was stare at the scene in front of him. The town was gone. There was nothing left but ruins. Only some of the bigger buildings had managed to withstand the earthquake. The air was filled with dust, and columns of thick, black smoke were coming from the rubble as many buildings had caught fire.

But that wasn't what shocked him. What made him stare in horror were the boats in the harbour. Or, to be more precise, the receding sea level that left the harbour behind dry. His breath caught in his throat as he looked into the distance, noticing the enormous wall of water which came racing towards them at an unbelievably high speed.  
His mind went blank. He didn't notice as the wind picked up again and tore at his hair...He didn't notice the siren winding up again...He didn't notice the residents' terrified screams as they tried to flee the ruins. All he could do was watch in horror as the wave loomed hundreds of metres above him. As it came crashing down wiping out everything in its path all he could see was a chunk of a building that came racing towards him. Then...nothing.

 

****************************************************************************************

  
  
Yama woke up breathing heavily. His heart was racing and he was gasping for air. He sat up and rubbed his forehead while trying to calm down. He looked around and gave a sigh of relief when he was greeted with the familiar sight of his room aboard the Arcadia. This dream...it had seemed so real...as if he had really been there. And the calmness he had felt while standing on that hill...it had almost felt like home. What in earth's name was that? He would've told himself that it was just a figment of his imagination...but it was too detailed and realistic for it to be just that.

Groaning, he lifted his legs off the side of the bed and got up. He definitely wouldn't be able to sleep after this, so he could as well take a walk around the ship to calm his nerves. He walked over to his wardrobe. Opening it, he decided to put on a pair of black pants and a long-sleeved grey turtleneck shirt. Then he proceeded to put on his boots and walked to the door. However, he hesitated and turned around to look at the room. This feeling of security, of peace, of security...that's how he had felt on that hill in his dream...why? Why did it bug him so much? He shook his head trying to get rid of his thoughts. It wouldn't help to keep thinking about it now. Eventually, Yama turned around and, after the door had opened with a quiet swoosh, stepped into the corridor.

  
  
Corridors...they fascinated Yama. During the day they were buzzing with life. People who were walking or running, who were laughing or fighting, shouting or whispering. But at night they became empty and silent. A pleasant silence that comforts you but leaves you room to sort out your thoughts. It was at this time that Yama liked to walk around the ship. Just wandering around aimlessly wherever his footsteps led him. And, for some reason, he would sooner or later always end up on the bridge. The young man loved to just stand there and admire the beauty of the endless depths of space through the big windows. He could spend hours here, just watching stars in silence.

He thought back to the moment when Harlock had left him in charge of the Arcadia. A frustrated sigh left his lips. Harlock had practically been dead. He had lost his will to live, had given up on everything. He had made the young man the new captain. Yama felt his eye tearing up. He had been afraid that Harlock would disappear and just leave him. He couldn‘t describe how relieved he had felt when, after they had escaped from earth and the Gaia fleet, Harlock was still there. Yama didn‘t know what kept the man here. After all, he had given up. Maybe it was the dark matter keeping him alive...after all Yama didn‘t understand much of how it worked. But there must be something else.

Over the past few weeks, Yama had noticed how Harlock slowly but surely began to show more emotions. Not much, but it was definitely there. Maybe he was finally beginning to warm up to people as he now wasn‘t the Arcadia‘s captain anymore. Technically. Yama let out a huff. Although he was now the captain, most crew members didn‘t trust him. And honestly, he couldn‘t blame them. After all, sometimes he had felt as if he couldn‘t even trust himself. What irked him was that Harlock had left him in charge of the Arcadia...and he had failed horribly. The crew only listened when Harlock was around. Harlock...Yama couldn‘t describe how much he admired him...and loved him. Ever since the stoic pirate had jumped down from the sky to save him...at that moment something in Yama had changed. And he hoped that it was something similar which kept the tall, dark-haired man here.

It had become difficult to act normal around Harlock. Yama had caught himself staring more than once. The pirate‘s long, slim legs...his muscular arms...his dark and mysterious aura...the way the material of his tight uniform hugged Harlock‘s perfect body…..stop it! Yama was blushing furiously. He had done it again... every time he thought of Harlock he felt like a 16-year-old girl. But he just couldn‘t help it. He tried to push the thoughts aside. Harlock would never have feelings for him...or would he?

He had noticed Harlock staring at him a few times but...no...he was probably just imagining things. Yama absentmindedly played with a small cube he held in his right hand, his head propped on his left hand while he leaned against a console. Lowering his head he looked at the small object. It was painted in greenish brown, the colour peeling off around the edges. Yama didn‘t know what to think of it. He‘s had this cube as long as he could remember...although he couldn‘t remember who gave it to him. For some reason, he had decided to keep it for all these years. On one side it had a small lens and a button. The only thing it could produce was a small holographic screen that, no matter what he‘d tried, didn‘t show anything. Sighing, he turned his gaze back towards the bridge's windows.

 

****************************************************************************************

  
  
Harlock sat at his desk. The room was dark, the only sources of light being the windows and a small lamp on the desk that gave off just enough light to illuminate the surface around it. The pirate looked out the window while, from time to time, taking a sip from the glass of wine in his right hand. The Arcadia was quietly making its way through the endless darkness dotted with millions of stars and colourful galaxies. They were on their way to an old and remote space colony that was established somewhere around 2500. Unlike many of the other colonies established at that time or earlier, this one had actually managed to last.

They needed new supplies and information regarding the Sanction. A remote space colony that most people have forgotten about was the best place to achieve just that. Over the years, "Homestead XVII," as the colony is called, has become a paradise for pirates and other groups whom the Sanction isn‘t particularly fond of. Harlock smiled. He had been there many times before. Many of the citizens knew him. It would definitely be fun to meet some old friends again. They still had a few days to go, though. But these days were the time they needed to plan everything. Chances were high that the Sanction had placed spies around places like Homestead in order to find them. So they needed to be careful. Yama would have to do a lot of work in the next few days.

When thinking about the brown-haired man Harlock let out a frustrated sigh. The pirate felt a strange attraction towards Yama every time he was around...and he didn‘t like it.  
"You‘re thinking about him again, aren‘t you?" came Miimes voice from behind. She was sitting in the chair opposite of him, regarding Harlock with an unreadable expression. "You may still think you can hide from the fact...but you have feelings for him. There‘s no denying that." Her calm voice showed no sign of annoyance, but Harlock knew that she was frustrated.

"I don‘t. And it‘s not like he has feelings for me anyway" he replied while still looking at the stars. He could hear her standing up and turned his head to see her leaning over the table. He looked up to meet her angry glare. "How can anyone be so negative and stubborn?!" She leaned in further. "I can‘t blame you for being negative...but your stubbornness really gets on my nerves! Not to mention how dense you can be! You don‘t even notice how Yama devours you with his eyes every time he looks at you!" He raised an eyebrow, further annoying her. "The great space pirate Captain Harlock who has no fear but can‘t admit that he has feelings for someone. Ugh! You really-"

She paused. That was too much...no matter how angry she currently was, she shouldn‘t pick on Harlock because of his feelings. She backed away, muttering a "Sorry. I didn‘t mean to say that" before turning towards the door. Harlock just shook his head, signalling he didn‘t mind. "You‘re only imagining things you want to see". She turned her head to look him in the eye. "Perhaps. But I believe that you just don‘t want to see the truth." And with that, she left.  
As the door closed behind her Harlock let out a sigh. As much as he liked Miime...sometimes he was sure that her attitude would be the death of his someday...regardless of him being immortal. With one swift movement, he emptied his glass. Sometimes wine really seemed to be the only thing which made him feel understood. He considered going to bed but then decided to do something else. Wiping his mouth he set the glass on the table and walked towards the door.

  
  
Harlock slowly made his way through the corridors, his cape trailing behind him. His echoing footsteps were the only noise disrupting the completely silent atmosphere. He was thinking. There was nothing about him that he could imagine Yama to like. Sure, Harlock had saved his life...but...other than that he can't do anything besides being the cold and stoic captain he was. It frustrated Harlock...ever since Yama came into his life he‘s had trouble fighting his self-doubts. One might not think that Harlock could have conflicting feelings...but, although he didn‘t show it, deep inside he was just a normal human being.

He had been hurt many times...so he figured that it would be for the best to keep his emotions locked away...but with Yama that didn‘t seem to work. His thoughts always seemed to return to the young man. He growled. Trying to get rid of his thoughts he focused on the noise of his steps.

Tap...

Tap...

Tap...

Tap…

He continued to roam the Arcadia‘s seemingly endless corridors until a sudden noise made him stop dead in his tracks. Someone was humming. He perked up his ears trying to make out where it was coming from. It was a calm, soft, and beautiful melody which echoed through the hallways. Harlock started to walk in the direction of where he thought it might be coming from. He gasped as he recognized the voice. Yama... He began to walk faster. The further he made his way through the labyrinth of corridors the more he could make out the location. It seemed as if it was coming from the bridge. As he walked around the last corner he froze. There, on the bridge, he saw him. Yama. Harlock‘s breath hitched. No matter what he tried to tell himself...Yama‘s sight was mesmerising. He quietly made his way to the door.

He just stood in the doorframe admiring the young man‘s features while listening to his soft and gentle voice. Yama‘s brown, silky hair seemed to shimmer in the light that came through the windows...and his pale, smooth skin almost seemed to glow. He was looking out the window with a sad expression that made Harlock‘s stomach twist. He didn‘t like seeing the young and confident man in such a depressed mood. Yama had the courage, confidence and determination of a leader. Those were just a few of many reasons why Harlock had chosen him as his successor. He just didn‘t have the courage to get his point across in front of the crew. Harlock wished that he could give Yama more confidence. He didn‘t just view him as a successor...Yama meant so much more to him...even though Harlock didn't want to acknowledge that. Eventually, Harlock managed to snap out of his trance and entered the bridge.

  
  
Hearing footsteps, Yama turned around. He immediately stopped humming and his cheeks flared up as he saw who had just entered. "H- Harlock? How long have you-" A smile perked at the older man‘s lips as he walked over and stood next to the young captain. "Don‘t be so nervous. It was beautiful." After a short pause, he added: "What piece was that?" His deep voice made Yama shiver. "I...I don‘t know. It‘s been stuck in my head since I woke up." Harlock hummed. Something seemed to bother him. He turned to look into Yama‘s eye with a serious expression.

"What‘s bothering you? Is it the crew?" The younger man lowered his head trying to avoid Harlock‘s gaze. He hesitated but eventually decided that it would be best to tell Harlock. "I just don‘t know what to do...I don‘t deserve to be the Arcadia‘s captain...you chose me...and so far the only thing I‘ve done is disappoint you..." He trailed off. The feeling of Harlock‘s firm grip on his shoulder almost made him jump. "Don‘t ever think so low of yourself again!" Harlock‘s voice was gentle but serious. Their eyes met and Yama was surprised to see a caring and worrying expression on the pirate‘s face.

"Let me tell you one thing: From the moment I saw you I knew that you were the one. If you weren‘t...then you wouldn‘t be here." He tightened his grip around Yama‘s shoulder. "All you have to do is show people that you mean business. Don‘t leave any room for doubts or criticism. And I know you can do that!" The shorter man listened to Harlock‘s words while looking at his face with an expression of gratitude and something else that Harlock couldn‘t quite make out. Yama muttered a soft "Thank you" while he turned his gaze back towards the windows. "Thanks for believing in me". The sentence made Harlock‘s heart flutter. He tried to ignore it...he didn‘t want to think about that right now. But it still left a warm feeling. "We all believe in you. You just have to be strong in front of the other crew members" Harlock said, giving Yama‘s shoulder a soft squeeze as he turned his head to look at the stars as well. They fell silent. It was a comfortable silence that enclosed them as they watched the stars, the Arcadia silently making her way through space.

After a while, Harlock broke the silence. He hated himself for doing so but he knew that Yama shouldn‘t be staying up so late. He turned his head only to find the younger man looking at him. Yama‘s face went bright red as he quickly looked away. Harlock raised an eyebrow in confusion, wondering what that was, but decided not to dwell on it. "You should go back to bed. We still need to organise and arrange everything before we reach Homestead" he said calmly. His voice alone could make the brown-haired man melt. Yama nodded, a soft smile playing on his lips. "You‘re right. I‘ll have to talk to quite a few people tomorrow." He paused when he realised what time it was. "I mean...today." He then tried to turn around and leave when he noticed that Harlock still held him by his shoulder.

Confused, he looked up to meet Harlock‘s eye. The man looked at him, a reassuring smile tugging at his lips. "Just ignore your doubts and be confident in front of those who question your decisions. You can do that, I know it." Yama blinked, then smiled and nodded while, again, muttering a soft "Thank you" before walking away. Harlock watched him until he had disappeared in the dark, his echoing footsteps slowly fading into the distance. Yama really began to affect Harlock in a way the dark-haired man didn't quite like. He almost had to laugh thinking about what he had just said.  "Ignore your doubts"...he knew that Yama would be able to do that...but he wasn't sure if he could do it himself. That unreadable expression in Yama‘s eye...could it be that Miime was right? He shook his head trying not to think about that now. Otherwise, he would be up all night thinking of the young man. Although he normally didn‘t need much sleep he figured that he would need all his strength in the next few days. Maybe they would be able to get some interesting information...but Harlock was also looking forward to finally being able to buy wine again. Chuckling, he began to walk back to his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually wrote the part where the alarm goes off in Yama's dream with this kind of siren in mind:
> 
> https://youtu.be/QWZ8s-7S3LU
> 
> Just imagine everything falling silent and suddenly that thing goes off in the distance... *shivers*


	2. I'm not dead! At least not physically...This fic also isn't dead, don't worry!

I'm really sorry for making you wait so long! It's been 6 months since I published the first chapter, and I promise, I haven't stopped working on the next chapters. Life's gotten in the way in every way possible. Job training, health, and my SSD died. I thought I had lost all my progress and drabbles ;-; I only recently discovered that I had in fact saved them on my HDD, so the data is save and I was able to continue working on Chapter 2. I can't say for sure when it'll be up, but it'll (hopefully) be before Christmas comes around!

So, stay tuned ^^;

(I'll also delete this when Chapter 2 is up)


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